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nus |
| NUS , further up the main valley from Chatillon, is a small, pretty
village, overlooked by a ruined castle, that makes a good base for the
Castello di Fénis 2km away (daily: March-Sept 9am-7pm; Oct-Feb 10am-5pm;
L6000/3.10). Backed by wooded hills and encircled by two rows of
turreted walls, the castle is a fairy-tale cluster of towers decorated
with scalloped arcades. These defences were primarily aesthetic, with
the real job of protecting the valley being left to the less prettified
fortresses of nearby Nus and Quart, while the Fénis branch of the
Challant counts concentrated on refining their living quarters with fine
Gothic frescoes. The best of these is in the courtyard, above the
elaborate twin staircase that leads to the upper storeys. A courtly St
George rescues a damsel in distress from the clutches of a tremendous
dragon, overlooked by a tribe of protective saints brandishing moral
statements on curling scrolls. There's a hotel in Fénis - La Chatelaine (tel 0165.764.264; up to L60,000/30.99), in localitŕ Chez Sapin, open year-round. However, as Nus has a train station and is close to the main road for buses, you may find it more convenient to sleep there: the Florian at Via Risorgimento 3 (tel 0165.767.968; L60,000-90,000/30.99-46.48), has clean and comfortable doubles and is also open all year. |